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Press Release
SPC joins community leaders to examine transportation barriers for students
Approximately 69 percent of St. Petersburg College’s (SPC) diverse student population of more than 47,000 students, ranging from 16 to 95 years old, have low to moderate income. Low-income students often face barriers to success, including transportation.
The Kresge Foundation awarded SPC a $50,000 planning grant for Advancing Student Transportation Solutions to understand student transportation challenges and how those barriers affect their ability to continue their education.
This grant will allow SPC to address the need for equity and access in local transit through support of the St. Pete Campus Connect Partnership (SPCCP). This task force of community partners include the City of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), the Tampa Bay College Access Network, Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and Forward Pinellas.
“The average college student is met with many challenges before entering the classroom, which often includes transportation,” said SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams. “Through the generous support of The Kresge Foundation and the opportunity to collaborate with SPCCP, we’re looking forward to examining how we can strengthen our communities through improved access to higher education.”
The task force will work together to evaluate transit access for SPC students and residents, with specific emphasis on the four learning sites/campuses located in the City of St. Petersburg. Utilizing shared resources and engaging current, past and potential students, the project funding will support a consultant to evaluate current and past initiatives, conduct surveys and focus groups and develop recommendations for solutions. This collaborative effort will help inform and develop a plan for alternative transportation solutions based on the voice of the community.
About St Petersburg College
St. Petersburg College alumni rank first in the state of Florida for possessing the most valuable job skills among two-year colleges. Founded in 1927, SPC is Florida's first two-year college and the first to offer bachelor’s degrees. We offer more than 110 degree and certificate programs, including many high-demand, high-skill, industry-recognized workforce certifications. Our career-focused curriculum is created with input from industry experts to give students the skills they need to meet the needs of today’s employers. Our new Pathways Program gives students a clear roadmap to success to ensure they are taking the right courses - in the right sequence – to meet their goals.
About Kresge
The Kresge Foundation was founded in 1924 to promote human progress. Today, Kresge fulfills that mission by building and strengthening pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America’s cities, seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice. Using a full array of grant, loan and other investment tools, Kresge invests more than $160 million annually to foster economic and social change. For more information, visit kresge.org.
